Boeing Gets Approval For Laser Project

The U.S. Air Force have given TRW Inc., Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. approval to build the laser hardware for its airborne laser weapon system.

The weapon system will use a laser mounted on a modified Boeing 747-400F freighter aircraft to shoot down ballistic missiles.

TRW said Monday the approval came after its laser module successfully passed its design review.

TRW, of Cleveland, is building the laser and the related ground-support subsystem. Lockheed Martin, of Bethesda, Md., is developing the target acquisition and beam control systems. Boeing, of Seattle, is developing the battle management system and will integrate it into the 747-400F.

TRW said it expects to complete testing of the laser module by April 1998, with the flight demonstration of the first system in 2002.